Chapter 18

Three days after the welcome party, Tiara Rose was being jolted in a carriage on her way to Aishira's mansion.

Going to meet the heroine on her own initiative was unbearably heavy on her mind. However, since she had promised to visit, there was no other choice.

The air inside the carriage unknowingly became heavy.

Whether she knew it or not, Filene, who was riding with her, spoke up cheerfully.

"The sea facing Lady Aishira's mansion is said to be very beautiful. I heard from Elliot that there are fish that can only be found in Lady Aishira's sea."

"Really? That sounds exciting."

--- Perhaps the only comfort is that Aqua is not with me.

He is busy with his duties and did not come along.

It would not do to set up a flag between Aishira and Aquasteed here. Tiara Rose could not bear the two of them getting closer because of her actions.

As Filene happily looked out the carriage window at the scenery, Tarmo, riding a horse, pulled up beside them. "Are you alright?" he asked with concern, to which Filene replied, "I am very comfortable."

"I'm sorry, Tarmo, for asking you to do this..."

"No, I am Tiara Rose's guard knight. Please do not hesitate to give me any orders."

"Thank you."

Tarmo, who was running alongside the carriage, was Tiara Rose's guard knight. With his shining silver hair and blue eyes, his sturdy build suggested he was an excellent knight.

He had originally served as a knight of Aquasteed, but with Tiara Rose's arrival in Marine Forest, he was appointed as her guard knight.

It felt wrong to have a knight of Aquasteed become her knight, but Tarmo did not think of it that way at all.

In fact, guarding Tiara Rose, who was favored by Aquasteed, was a very honorable position. Who could possibly object to it?

"Everyone in Marine Forest is so kind."

"Yes, with this, I think we can spend the year and beyond without any problems."

Tiara Rose and Filene smiled, feeling grateful for the way they were treated.

After about 30 minutes, they arrived at the mansion.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Tiara Rose! I have been waiting for you. Welcome!"

"Thank you for inviting me, Lady Aishira."

As she stepped out of the carriage, Aishira herself greeted Tiara Rose.

Filene and Tarmo stood a little away, not wanting to interfere with their mistress.

However, being alone with the heroine was mentally taxing. Honestly, Tiara Rose wanted Filene to be by her side, but she could not voice such a selfish request and had to endure it.

"I have prepared a tea party by the beach. Please come this way."

"Thank you."

Aishira had set up the tea party right by the sea.

Tiara Rose was initially worried about an exposed tea party, but the setup was well-protected with a roof and neatly arranged, which put her at ease.

Plants were planted around to act as a windbreak, preventing the sea breeze from disturbing them.

However, what surprised her even more was the sea.

It sparkled, and even from a distance, the shadows of fish swimming could be seen. The various colors of light suggested that many different types of fish lived there.

"As rumored, it is a very beautiful sea."

"Thank you. If you would like, would you care to take a closer look?"

"Of course."

When Tiara Rose suggested this to Aishira, she happily replied that she should come closer. Driven by the urge to see more, Tiara Rose nodded and moved as close as possible without the water touching her shoes.

The white sand, the clear sea, and the various colors of fish swimming—yellow, orange, pink, blue, and more—were mesmerizing. Looking further out, beautiful corals came into view.

Aishira was in the business of trading fish, corals, and pearls.

Blessed by the sea fairies, she was very skilled at cultivating them. Probably, no one in Marine Forest could surpass her.

She was very popular among noble daughters and was also active in the royal family as a supplier.

Tiara Rose, her eyes sparkling, gazed at the sea with delight. Seeing this, Aishira decided to make a suggestion.

"Tiara Rose, would you like to go into the sea?"

"Eh...?"

--- Surely, that's a bit too much, isn't it?

When she looked at Aishira, wondering what she meant, Aishira quickly waved her hands. "No, no, I can use a magic spell to breathe underwater, thanks to the sea fairies. I can also wrap air around my body, so it's fine even in your clothes."

"Can you really do that? Lady Aishira, you are truly amazing."

--- As expected of the heroine in the sequel, anything is possible...

Could she, a kind-hearted heroine loved by the fairies, be beaten? Tiara Rose secretly sighed, wishing she could have been as bad-tempered as Akari.

"But, let's warm up with tea first. Even if you don't touch the seawater, the surroundings are still wet."

"That's true. I also brought some delicious pastries. Filene."

"Here they are."

When Tiara Rose called out, Filene smoothly brought forward a cute box containing cakes.

She gently opened the box and showed the contents to Aishira.

"Oh, they are so cute and look delicious."

"I am very happy if you like them."

"Yes, they are very good."

Aishira, smiling like the sun, gave instructions to the waiting maid.

The cakes would be served with the tea.

"Please, have a seat."

"Thank you. A tea set right by the sea is very beautiful. It will be a good memory, as it's not something I often experience."

At Aishira's invitation, Tiara Rose took her seat. The view from there was stunning, and she let out a gasp of admiration.

The conversation then turned to Tiara Rose and Aquasteed.

"So, you met Prince Aquasteed at the academy?"

"Yes. He always takes care of me..."

"Oh, so you two will have a love marriage. That's wonderful."

Aishira, giggling, listened to Tiara Rose's story with great interest.

The times they had eaten pastries together, the times he had escorted her, and the events during the journey from Lapis Lazuli to Marine Forest.

No matter what, Aishira did not show a single unpleasant expression, always smiling.

--- What's going on? Isn't Lady Aishira, the heroine, in love with Aqua?

While Aishira smiled, Tiara Rose's mind was filled with questions.

Or perhaps, she is not in love. Or maybe she is just observing Tiara Rose and not showing her true feelings. It's important to be cautious, Tiara Rose reminded herself.

"… Lady Aishira, you must be very popular with men, right?"

"Tiara Rose, that's not true at all."

Now it was Tiara Rose's turn to probe.

With her perfect features and being from a ducal family, and at 14 years old, it would not be strange for her to be engaged.

If this were a game, she would have been engaged to Aquasteed, but this is not a game.

"… I leave all matters of engagement to my father. As long as I can be by the sea, I am happy. The fish and corals are growing beautifully, aren't they?"

"That's true. As a noble, that is a valid perspective. … But, haven't you fallen in love with anyone?"

"No, unfortunately, I haven't even had my first love."

Aishira laughed a little shyly and sipped her tea.

There was no hint of lying in her expression. She really seemed to be a sincere and good girl. Tiara Rose thought so.

Raised as a marquise's daughter and having attended many social events, Tiara Rose found no sense of discomfort in Aishira. It was hard to believe that a 14-year-old girl could have such poise—no, it was impossible.

--- This girl really doesn't know love.

Perhaps, that love was meant to be cultivated with the target of the game, Aquasteed. If so, it would be best to keep the two of them from getting too close.

The worst-case scenario Tiara Rose had been considering seemed to be avoided. Just as she sighed in relief, Aishira invited her to the sea.

"Shall we go to the sea now? There are many cute fish."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Aishira's magic was cast only on Tiara Rose and Aishira. The maid would wait on the beach. Though slightly anxious, Tiara Rose decided to trust Aishira's words.

Gently taking Aishira's hand, the two were enveloped in a round ball of air.

"Wow, amazing...!"

With a splash, they were enveloped in the air ball and sank into the sea. Aishira, similarly enveloped in air, swam alongside her.

It was—truly a paradise of fish. Colorful fish swam, and beautiful corals glowed on the seabed. Fish swam close to Tiara Rose, circling around her.

"Even when humans come, they don't run away."

"Yes, I dive in this sea every day, so the fish and I are good friends."

"Oh, that's wonderful."

Aishira reached out her hand, and the fish gathered at her fingertips, gently kissing them. It was as if she were a sea goddess, making Tiara Rose sigh in admiration.

"The corals are also beautiful. Do you make accessories with them?"

"Yes, I am happy that many people enjoy them."

After walking a bit, Tiara Rose was able to move freely in the sea.

She walked slowly to the corals. Red, orange, purple—beautiful corals surrounded by swimming fish. The sand at the bottom was colored with colorful starfish and shells.

"Cute...! I never thought I could walk in the sea like this."

--- It's much, much more beautiful than the diving I experienced in Okinawa!

Excited to see various corals, her heart leaped. Tiara Rose enjoyed looking at crabs on the corals and shells.

Aishira, watching her with delight, handed her some fish food.

"Here's a little, but it will attract many fish. Just be careful not to get your hand wet when you take it out of the air."

"Thank you, Lady Aishira."

Taking the food, Tiara Rose carefully extended her hand out of the air ball.

Many fish gathered around her hand, perhaps dozens. They pecked at the food, and the tickling sensation made her laugh.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Lady Tiara Rose. I'll go back up to prepare the tea."

"I'm having a lot of fun, Lady Aishira... Oh, I'm sorry. I'll go with you."

"No, please enjoy. There's a little more food, right?"

"… Then, I'll take you up on that."

--- Lady Aishira, you really are a good person.

To prevent Tiara Rose from getting cold from the sea, Aishira went up to prepare warm tea.

While watching her go, Tiara Rose became engrossed in feeding the fish again. The cute, colorful fish were very soothing. Tiara Rose, who loved cute things, felt a sense of relaxation she hadn't felt in a long time.

--- I can be calm when I'm with Aqua, but I get so excited that I can't relax. How many times does he kiss me in a day—...

Thinking this far, Tiara Rose blushed.

"No! I'm so embarrassed..."

Recalling the times Aqua Steed had kissed her, Tiara Rose blushed alone in the sea. "I'm glad no one is here," she sighed in relief.

"But, Lady Aishira is really a kind girl. Her hair and eyes make it impossible for her to be Japanese. She might be a reincarnated person like me, though..."

Closing her eyes for a few minutes, she recalled Aishira's actions.

Did she show any signs of being a reincarnated person? Did she have knowledge of Japan or the game?

"… No, she doesn't."

Tiara Rose quietly nodded to herself.

Still, she knew she couldn't let her guard down. It was possible that an actress had reincarnated, which would explain her perfect manners.

"… Maybe I'm overthinking it? Anyway, the food is gone, so let's go back."

Thinking about Aishira, time passed quickly. If she stayed too long, she would worry others. Deciding to head back, Tiara Rose walked toward the shore.

However, with the air ball, she was just floating along, and the sensation was enjoyable, making her in a good mood.

But that feeling shattered the moment she stepped onto the land.

With a splash, Tiara Rose emerged from the water, looking around for everyone. The first thing she saw was her favorite dark blue.

"… Aqua?"

There, she saw Aquasteed and Aishira chatting happily.

It was a visit from Prince Aquasteed. Aishira's maids and servants did not notice Tiara Rose's appearance.

Aquasteed, smiling happily, reached out his hand to Aishira's hair—

"I don't want to see this!"

Tiara Rose turned away and crouched down.

She could not bear to see Aquasteed petting Aishira.

"Why? But, maybe… Should I just step in as the villainous noble daughter now?"

--- But, what if I end up being hated by Aqua?

Is this the power of the game? Is it inevitable? They have been friends since childhood, and I just stepped in between them. These thoughts circled in her mind.

"… No. I decided not to run."

Shaking her head, Tiara Rose stood up with a splash, slapping her cheeks and mustering her courage.

"Tiara."

Aquasteed, who noticed immediately, called out her name.

But Tiara Rose did not respond, walking silently toward Aquasteed. Aishira and Aquasteed tilted their heads in confusion.

Tiara Rose's expression, as she walked with her head down, was not visible to them.

When she was close enough, Tiara Rose stopped and firmly linked her arm with Aquasteed's.

And she said one thing—

"Please don't leave me alone, Aqua..."

With a look like a discarded kitten, Tiara Rose gazed up at Aquasteed. Slightly looking up, Aquasteed could not help but cover his mouth at her cuteness.

"Too cute, Tiara."

Despite Aishira being right next to him, Aquasteed hugged Tiara Rose tightly.